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Every Occasion Dress – Ruffled Apron

By on April 18, 2011 in Sewing; Tutorial; Project Toddler Runway, Spring Fling

This tutorial has been a long time in the making!  This dress was from my final entry in Project Toddler Runway – The Personal Challenge.  I was able to get a friend’s daughter to model the dress for me, but in order to use her, I had to rush the construction of the dress and the aprons and wasn’t able to take photos for a tutorial.  When April from Wildflowers and Whimsy approached me about doing a giveway for her Spring Fling, I thought it was a perfect opportunity to make another dress and get the photos for a tutorial.

I decided not to do a full tutorial for the dress, since I covered the construction of the collar and sleeves in the tutorial for my Arden Refashioned Shirt Dress. 

There are a few main differences – I used a back closure (originally I did buttons on my version, but it turned out to be difficult to get on and off, so I switched to a zipper for the giveway version – much easier!), so I had to split the collar in the back, I made it an a-line dress measuring about 18.5″ long, and then added a 2″ ruffle at the bottom.  You’d want to keep the fabric for the dress pretty simple to keep your options open for the aprons.

Then, to attach the interchangeable aprons, I added buttons to the front 4.5″ apart and just below the collar.

So here goes with the first of the two interchangeable aprons – the Ruffled Apron:

Every Occasion Dress – Ruffled Apron
Skill Level – Beginner
Items Needed –
Fabric – 1/2 to 2/3 yard
Coordinating thread

Buttons
Sewing machine
Iron

Dimensions given are for a 2T apron.  Adjust accordingly to get desired size – though the dimensions would probably work well for a pretty good range of sizes.  Sew with a 3/8″ or 1/2″ seam allowance; keeping the same allowance throughout the project.  I used a 3/8″ seam allowance.

1.  Cut Fabric – My cuts were 6.5″W x 7.5″H for the top, 9.5″W x 6.5″H for the bottom, 4″ x 45″ for the sash (cut angles at the edges to make an angle for the end), and strips 2.5″ and 1.5″ for the ruffles on the bottom and top.
2.  Round Ouside Edges – of your top and bottom pieces.  I used a drinking glass to do mine, using the larger circumference to cut the larger rectangle, and the smaller for the top or smaller rectangle.
3.  Ruffles – Create your ruffles by pressing the strips (sewn together as needed) wrong sides together (WST) and running a gathering stitch along the raw edge.  There are many ways to ruffle; I did mine using the longest stitch on my machine and changing the tension to 7.  You could also run a basting stitch and hand gather, or use a ruffling foot.

4.  Pin Ruffles – Matching raw edges, pin the ruffled strips to the outside edges of the right sides of your top and bottom pieces.  Stitch in place; stay stitch at beggining and ends.  Finish the edges using a serger or a zig-zag stitch.

5.  Press and Topstitch – Press the ruffles to the outside and topstitch close to the edge of the top and bottom pieces.
6.  Make Sash – This step is pretty self-explanatory, so no photos.  With right sides together (RST) and edges matching, sew from the outside edges to near the middle leaving a gap for turning and then continue sewing from near the middle to the other edge.  Turn right side out through the gap , press, and topstitch around the entire sash near the edge; closing the opening left for turning.
7.  Gather and Finish Edges – Finish the bottom edge of the top piece and run a slight gather along the top edge of the bottom piece; finish this edge.

8.  Attach Top and Bottom Pieces to Sash – Pinning from the top and lining up the inside edge of your finishing stitches with the topstitch line on the sash, attach the top and bottom pieces, making sure the centers of the sash and both pieces are in line.  Stich in place over top of the topstitching on the sash.

9.  Add Buttonholes – 4.5″ apart from center of the top of the apron, and just below the toptitching.  Normally, I would add a little interfacing behind since this is only one layer of fabric, but it’s only holding the top of the apron up and I didn’t think it was needed.  You can add the interfacing if you’d like.
Button the top part to the dress and tie the sash around your little cutie’s waist and you’re all set for any occasion!

UndertheTableandDreaming

10 Responses to Every Occasion Dress – Ruffled Apron

  1. Jayna Rae April 18, 2011 at 6:03 PM #

    I have been waiting FOREVER for this tutorial. I just adore this outfit so much. I do not have a girl, but I do have a niece.

  2. Emily April 18, 2011 at 6:36 PM #

    oh my niece would look so cute in that. Wish I was a better sewer!

  3. Nikki April 19, 2011 at 11:50 AM #

    This is such a cute idea. Thanks for sharing.

  4. Marriah April 19, 2011 at 5:41 PM #

    That is so beautiful. I love the colors and the idea with the apron. It came out SO good. http://www.mylifeunzipped.blogspot.com

  5. Anne Maskell April 20, 2011 at 2:47 AM #

    Oh my goodness, that is so cute! I will have to keep this in mind for my nieces.

  6. Megan April 22, 2011 at 10:50 PM #

    This is really cute. I love the polka dot print.

    megan
    craftycpa.blogspot.com

  7. Becca April 24, 2011 at 2:26 AM #

    Oh my, that is so stinkin’ cute. Is it bad that I sometimes hope the baby is a girl so that I can dress her in ruffles?

  8. Rebecca @ My Girlish Whims April 27, 2011 at 12:36 AM #

    Eeecckk!!! This is so so adorable. Little girl, ruffly cute apron, so perfect 🙂 Thanks for linking up to Your Whims Wednesday!! Hope to see ya again this week 🙂

  9. To Sew With Love April 29, 2011 at 10:52 PM #

    this is so cute! thanks for sharing! we’ll be featuring this tomorrow! you can grab a featured button if you want! ^^)

  10. To Sew With Love May 1, 2011 at 8:12 AM #

    Hi! you and your project was nominated to TSWL’s Finest for April 2011. I will send you your vote for me button and spread the word! Voting will start today on our blog!

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